Indicating device.



J. W. FRITCH L D. E. HOOPES.

INDICATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, 191s.

Patented .1 an. 18, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WIM/8858.' L/aff/ l IMM.

WASHING-IDN. D. c.y

J. W. FHITCH & D. E. HOOPIS.

INDICATING DEVICE. v

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, I9I5.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEYS 'NIE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

J. W. FRITCH & D. E. HOOPES. INDICATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.29,11915.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

u Lu .ummA PLANQGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

JOHN WM. Ferron AND DELIA n. Hoorn's, 0F WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA.

INDICATING DEVICE.

To 1U w/zom t may concern lie it known that we, JOHN IV. FmTcI-I and DELIA E. I-Ioorns, citizens of the United States, and residents of the city of fashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improve- -ments in Indicating Devices, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in indicating devices, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

The invention is designed to be used in connection with other machines, such as punching or tabulating machines, and the main object is to provide a device by means of which one can ascertain whether a certain key which he desires to operate has, as a matter of fact, really been operated.

A further object of our invention is to provide a device of the type described which may be used in connection with punching machines which are adapted to perforate cards, as for instance, in compiling data for the census, and which will indicate whether or not such cards have been correctly perforated, or punched.

A further object of our invention is to provide a device which will indicate whether a key of the machine which is associated with the indicating device, has been correctly operated, and which will display a corresponding number or character similar to the one carried by or associated with the key of the punching machine or other similar device, said indicating device maintaining in position parts indicating a number of successive operations so that one may at a glance see whether or not he has performed several successive operations correctly.

A further object of our invention is to provide a device of the type described in which the 'parts bearing .the numbers indieating the successive operations are automatically reset without any further attention on the part of the operator.

A further object of our invention is to provide a device of the type described in which a series of traveling indicating units provided, these units being moved forwardly in succession by electro-magnetic means, or other suitable means, and each unit bearing a series of movable members containing figures or other suitable characters. any one of which may be brought into an indicating position.

Specification of Iletters Patent.

Application filed March 29, 1915. Serial No. 17,705.

i Patented Jan.

A further object of our invention is to provide a device in'which these units may be moved if desirable without displaying the indicating number or character.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this application, in which- Figure l is a sectional view through a portion of the device. Fig. 2 is a. plan view of the device. Fig. 3 is a side view. Fig. i is an enlarged sectional view along the line 4 1 of Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of a. portion of the device. Fig. 6 is a section along the line 6 6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the electric circuit whichr operates the magnet. Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the parts in another position, and Fig. 9-is a fragmentary plan view showing a card, the punching of which is indicated by the indicating device.

As stated before, this device may be used in connection with any machine having a key board and keys having movable stems. It is primarily designed to be used in connection with a tabulating machine, such as those used in the census oiice for tabulating data of diiferent kinds. i

In order to give a clear idea of the use of the indicating device, we will briefly refer to the parts ofthe tabulating device which are necessary to showthe cooperationV ofthe indicating device with the tabulating device or punching device.

`In Fig. 9 we have shown a card 11 having a series of horizontal rows of figures, these figures ranging from 0 to 9, the rst row containing zeros, the second ones, etc. In the tabulating or punching machine, this cardwhen inserted is propelled forward and is designed to be punched in accordance with predetermined rules. It is very necessary that this punching be correctly done, and in certain of the machines there is no means of rknowing whether the card has been vcorrectly punched until it has passed out of the machine. Ourinvention is designed to that while the card has horizontal rows,

each row containing a series of similar nu` meral's, it also has a series of vertical columns, each 'column containing numerals` from O to 9. At 14 we have shown keys, these keys bearing numerals 0 tor9 to correspond `to t-hose in the vertical columns on the card. The stems 14zt of the keysare shown as being directly above the card 11 in Fig. 1, so that when the keys are depressed, the stems will punh the card and pass through the 4jsupper-ting plate 12. l

le have briefly described certain parts of `the tabulating or punching machine, in order that we show the ,use of the indieating device, but it will be understoodthat the illustration of .the parts of the punching machine .are purely diagrammatic and have only 'been described in order to show the connection and the use of the indicating device.

The indicating device proper consists of a frame 15 mounted on a base 16, and other parts hereinafter enumerated. Pivotally mounted on the frame 1.5 is a series of levers, Oa, 1., 2,-up `to 9 inclusive, these levers being 'pivoted on fulcrums 0h to 9b inclusive. The ends of' the levers are pivotally con nected with the vertically extending stems 0 to 9 inclusive. These stems pass through thevtop of the frame 15 and, as has been sta-ted before, terminate just underneath the ends of the stems14a of the keys 14. It will be noted that the fulcrums 1b, 2", etc., are arranged in suoli a position that all of the levers, which are of a common length, will be given the same movement Vwhen the stems are depressed a given distance, this dista-nce being common for all the stems. The opposite ends of the levers 9a, Sa, 7a, etc., are pivotally connected to rods 9d, 8d, 7d, etc., respectively. These rods 9d, 8d, 7d, etc., pass through a guide member 17 secured to the bottoms rof opposed runways or tracks 18 and 19.. The latter are carried at the tops of uprights 20.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 and 3, it will beV seen that we have provided lower tracks or runways 18 and 19a corresponding to the upper tracks 18 and 19. The upper andlower tracks on each side, such as the'tracks 18 and 1S, areconnected by curved track members, such as those shown at 18", thus providing for continuous runways. Arranged to travel in the opposed runways, is a series of units. A description of one of thesey units will suiiice, since they are alike. On referring toFigs. 4, 5,'and 6, it will be seen that each unit comprises a substantially rectangular casing 21 which is provided at its ends with axles 22.,provided with rollers 23, there being four of these axles to each unit, so that the unit itself in passing along a straight portion of the runway, such as thatalong .the upper lportion of the track will maintain its position parallel with the track itself.

Each unit is provided with a. series of movable plates 24, which are pivotally mounted on a common pivot rod 25 extending from end to end of the casing 21. The upper portion of the casing is'slotted, as shown at 26, to permit the pivoted plate 24 to swing outwardly into view, as shown in Fig. G. Each of the plates is provided with a spring 27 which is connected to a pin 27X so as to hold the plate 24 in its upper position. o

Associated with each of the plates 24 is a trip 28 which is pivota-lly mounted at 29 and is normally held in engagement with the plate 24 by means of a spring 28x. As will be seen from Fig. 6, the plate 24 bears two teeth or shoulders 24 and 24b respectively. These are adapted to be engaged by a shoulder or hook 2Sa of the member 2S. In F ig. G we have shown the plate 24 at the right of the figure as being held in its normal position by means of the trip 28. These trips, as will be seen from Fig. 6, project ljust below the bottom of the casing 21, and they are in alinement with the rods 0d, 1d, 2, etc. rlhe plates 24 bear numerals from 0 to 9 which correspond with the numerals on the keys shown in Fig. 2. The units are designed to be moved so as to bring their respective plates 24 bearing the numerals from 0 to 9 -inst abovethese rods 0d, 1d, 2d, etc. Now, when theV key 5 for instance of the key board shown in F ig. is depressed, the lever 5a will be operated so as to raise the rod 5d, see Fig. 4, and the latter will come in Contact with the trip 2S thus releasing the spring pressed plate 24 and permitting the plate to fly upwardly through the slot 26 into the view of the operator.

The means for causing the travel of the unit around the endless runway is as follows: Onreferring to Figs. 3 and 6, it will be seen that each unit is provided with two downwardly extending teeth 21X and 211'. A pair of magnets 30 and 31 are carried by a portion 32 of the frame. The magnet 30 has its armature 3G on the end of a lever 33 which is pivoted at 34 and whose upper end bears a spring pressed pawl 85. The magnet 31 has an armature 31a at the end of a lever 3G pivoted at 37 and bearing a spring pressed pawl 3S at its upper end, similar to the pawl 35. Both of these spring pressed pawls are adapted to bearv normally on the under side of the casings 21 of the units. It will be observed that the lever 36 bears a Contact member 39 adapted to bridge the contacts 40 and 41 carried by the lever As will be seen from Figs. 1 and 4, each of the levers 0f, 1a, etc., is provided with a pin l0?, le, etc., arranged to enter corresponding slots in a slidable member 42 which is guided at its upper end by an extension of the member 17 and atits lower end by a yguide 43 carried by the partition 32. 4This slidable member bears an insulatingarm 44 arranged to close normally open spring contacts 45 and 46. This slida-ble member 42 as will be seen from the drawings, has its row of slots arranged on an incline, that is to say, the row of slots is substantially parallel to the row of fulcrums Ob, l", 2b, etc., and parallel'to the ends of the lever 0, 1a, 2, etc. The normal position' of the pins Oe, 1C, 2C, is that shown in Fig. 1, that is to say, the pins are at the bottom of the slots.

The electrical circuits that are used with this device, will best be understood by an explanation of the operation of the device.

Let us assume that it is desired to punch a card like that shown at 11 in Fig. 9, and that the operator desires to punch the numeral 5 from the first vertical column at the left. He presses downwardly on the key marked in Fig. 2, thereby operating the lever 5, and raising the rod 5, see Fig. 4. The end of this rod engages the trip 28 so as to release the hook 28a from the shoulder 24" of the plate 24. The plate will therefore be thrown upwardly by means of the spring 27, so as to display the number 5 and indicate to the operator that he has correctly operated the device. If, for instance, he has operated 6 while intending to operate key 5, then the number 6 would appear, showing him instantly that there was a mistake in punching the card and thereby giving him the opportunity to insert another card, without the necessity of punching all the data on the card and then finding that there was a mistake at the end of the operation. At the same time that the lever 5 moves the rod 51 upwardly the pin 5a on the lever 5a engages the upper wall of the slot inthe slidable member 42, thus raising this member into the position shown in Fig. 4. The upward movement of the member 42 causes the arm 44 to close the contacts at 45 and 46. Current then flows from battery lB, see Figs. 7, and 8, conductor 47, contacts 45, conductor 48, magnet 31, 49, and by conductor to battery. The armature 31a of the magnet 31 is energized and swings the lever 36 forwardly. The `pawl 38 which is in engagement with one of the teeth 21X pushes the unit which bears it forwardly a distance equal to half the length of the unit. Since adjacent units are connected by means of links 51, see Fig. 5, the whole train ofunits will be moved forwardly on the track. On the further upward movement of the member 42, the contacts at 46 will be closed, and since the contacts at 40 and 41 have been closed by the movement of the lever 36, current will flow from the battery B, see Fig. 8, through 47, 46, 52, 41, lever 36, 40, magnet 30, and by conductors 50 to battery.` This will energize the magnet 30 which at this stage of the operation, is'in retracted position. rEhe armature 30'"L will be attracted thereby swinging forwardly the lever 33 and its pawl 35 will engage the tooth 21y (since the units have been-moved forwardly half the distance of the length of one unit), and will cause the movement of the train of units another half length, thus bringing into position a new unit. On release of pressure from the key 5, the member 42 will resume its original position, therelry` breaking the contacts at 45 and 46.

It will be seen that the contacts 45. and 46 are closed in succession. of ther magnet 30, doesnot necessarily depend upon the closing of these contacts'in succession, but rather upon the closing of the contacts 40 and 41 by the movement of the lever 36, since these latter contacts form part of the circuit of the magnet 30. It will therefore be seen that the magnet 30 will not be energized'until after the magnet 31 has been energized. The magnet 31 therefore effects the primary movement of half the length of a unit, while the magnet 30 effects the remaining half of the movement.

Then a new unit has been brought into operative position, any number from 0 to 9 may be thrown upwardly into view from said unit by pressing the key corresponding to the number. rlhese numbers will be retained until they engage a roller or bar 54 on the under side of the track, see Figs. 1 and At this point, the movement o-f the train will pass tlie'plates back into position, so as to be engaged by the hook 28a which'will engage the shoulder 2421 on the plate. The members are thus automatically reset, but it will be observed that they will stay in position long enough to enable an operator not only to know whether he has pressed one key correctly, but whether he has pressed a whole series of keys correctly. In Fig. 3 it will be observed that approximately eighteen numbers will remain in view on the upper portion of the track and the curved portion at the left of the figure,

before they are automatically reset when they come in contact with the roller 54.

It may be desirable at times to move the train forwardly without displaying any number. To this end provide an auxiliary key 55 whose operation will close contacts 56 and 57, see Fig. 7. These contacts are connected with the contacts, or rather with the conductors leading through the contacts, 45 and. 46, so that the operating circuit of The operation l both magnets will be closed, with the exception, of course, that the operating circuit of the magnet 30 is not closed until after the operation of the magnet 31. The magnet 31 will therefore operate to cause a half step of the. train, and the magnet 550 will thcre- :upon-reifectrthe remainingL half without ldis- YAplayin-g the .numbers :Itiv ll thus be seen: that-we liaveprovided :adevice tofivork in conjunction with any Ydeviceprovided with a keyboard to indicate :that ithe operations on the keyboard have been correctlyzperformed. The provision .ofaan -indicating'devce in which the vindicatingelements will remain in position longe-enough tofenable: the operatorto determine whether or vnot lhe had Vcorrectly Aperformediagseries of operations, forms an limportant feature of our invention. The `provision of .a device yof thetypedescribed 1in avhichfthese numbers after remaining in sight ifoima sutlicient vlength of time, are .automaticallyreset, valso forms another feature. Y f

Another @feature to which we desire to ycall.attention is-:tlie fact that operation of :theidevice is continuous, that is to say, the loperator does not have toreset any of the =iig1ires:himself, or to stop after a certain lengthioftime andadjust the-device for l different conditions.

ElVe claim :v

il. The combination with a keyboard having a plurality of keys, of a separate lever iassociatedzwith `each of said keys, and adaptxedrtobeoperatedtliereby, aseries of units =formin-g lan endless chain, each of said units being ,provided .with ,a series of spring pressed .members bearing characters corres .spending to. thoser ofthe complete keyboard,

nieansassociated withv eachof said levers for releasing its corresponding spring pressedfmembervand bringing it into View, .and f electro-magnetic `means l:for simultane- .ously movingtlieendless chain of units to Pbring '.anotheriiinit into operative relation -withithe levers. l

2.*1 he combinationwith akeyboard liavinginovable,keys, ,of a series of levers assorciated with ysaidikeys, an lendless chain of units, means iter supporting said endless chain, each unit comprising a casingliaving y.a .pluralityof spring pressedmembers norinallylheldinside thecasing, said members bearing characters corresponding` with those onthe.completekeyboard, and means associated with each .of said leversor-releasing Aone o said spring pressed members and bringing the i latter into view.

3. The combination with akeyboard having-movable keys7 of aseries oflevers assolciated with said keys, zin-endless chain of zunits, .means rfor supporting said endless eliainVeachnnit comprising a casing havinga vplurality of spring pressed members normally held inside the casing, said members f bearing characters corresponding with vthose on the completekeyboard, and means viassociated Awith cachot` said levers yfor re- !leasing one of said spring-pressed members randbiingingthelatter into view, said `,lastaigieaeai f named ;meaiis comprising. a npush irod associated witlieaeh lever, `andfatrip associated with `reach yof :said `spring pressed members and adapted to beP engaged by its individual push prod.

et. The combination with ai-keyboardlhavsing:V movable keys, of ka series: .of levers associated `,with veach of said spring pressedmembers and adapted tofbe engaged by=its individual push rod, and electro-magnetic means for siii'niltaneoiisly'moving the endless chain forward ateaclroperation ofl any ofthe levers.

y5. 4The combination withA a keyboard having4 movable keys,r of; :a series ofL levers operatively associated with said keys, an endless chain. of 1 nnits,. each I unit comprising a casing, a series of spring ipressed pivoted;

platescarriedby said casing, each of said plates bearing l character. corresponding to one on the keyboard, -meansincludinga trip .associated withl each plate for retaining the plates witliinthe casingfapush rodassociatedwitli each-lever and adapted'to enits corresponding #trip and irelease `a springpressedfplate, thereby permitting the latter! tov` bei broughtiiito -view by. ther action ofthe spring. A6. The combinationwith a keyboard having niovablekeys,y of a series vof levers operatively associated With said keys, van endless chain of unita-each unit comprisinga casing, aseriesof spring pressed pivoted plates carried by said casing,.eachlof said plates bearingr a character corresponding to one on vthe keyboard, means vincluding aitrip assol elated with each platefor retaining the plate within; the casing, push rodfassociatedwith` eachllever and adapted toengage its corresponding plate and release va -spiingpressed plate thereby permittinglthe latter to be brought into view Yby the action of the spring, Va circuit closer, aimovablemembei actuated Vby theiiiiovemeiit of any of said levers :for operating said circuit closer, and means controlled by said circuit closer for moving forward the endless chain of units.

7. rThe combination-with.,aikeyboard having movable keys, of a series of levers operatively associated ivithsaid keys, .an endless chain of-units, each unitcomprising `a casing, a series of spriiigfpressed pivoted plates carried by said casing, each of said plates bearing a character corresponding to one on the keyboard, means including a trip associated with each plate for retaining the plate Within the casing, a push rod associated with each lever, and adapted to en gage its corresponding plate and release a spring pressed plate thereby permitting the latter to be brought into vieiv b y the action of the spring, a circuit closer, and a movable member actuated by the movement of any of said levers for operating said circuit closer, an electro-magnetic device controlled by the circuit closer for moving the endless chain of units Yforwardly at the operation of any of Said levers, thereby bringing a new unit into operative relation With said push rods.

8. The combination with a keyboard hav ing movable keys, oi a series of levers operatively associated with said keys, an endless chain or units, each unit comprising a casing, a series of spring pressed pivoted plates carried by said casing, each or' said plates bearing a character corresponding to one on the keyboard, means including a trip associated with each plate for retaining the plate within the casing, a push rod associated with each lever and adapted to engage its correspending plate and release a spring pressed plate thereby permitting the latter to be brought into view by the action of the spring, a circuit closer, a movable member actuated by the movement of any of said levers for operating said circuit closer, a pair of electro-magnets controlled by said circuit closer, and means associated with said magnets for conjointly moving said endless chain of units predetermined distance.

9. The combination with a keyboard having movable keys, of a series of levers operatively associated ivith said keys, an endless chain of units, each unit comprising a casing, a. series of spring pressed pivoted plates carried by said casing, each of said plates bearing a character corresponding to one on the keyboard, means including a trip associated With each plate for retaining the plate Within the casing, a push rod associated with each lever and adapted to engage its corresponding plate and release a. spring pressed plate thereby permitting the latter to be brought into view by the action of the springa circuit closer, a movable member actuated by the movement of any of said levers for operating said circuit closer, a pair of electro-magnets controlled by said circuit closer, means associated with each magnet for conjointly moving said endless chain of units a predetermined distance, and means 'for causing said magnets to act successively.

10. The combination with a keyboard having a plurality of keys, of a separate lever associated with each of said keys, and adapt ed to be operated thereby, a. series of units forming an endless chain, each of said units being provided With a series of springpressed members bearing characters corresponding to those on the complete keyboard, means associated with each of said levers for releasing its corresponding spring-pressed member and bringing it into view, and means for simultaneously moving the endless chain of units to bring another unit into operative relation With the levers.

1l. The combination with a keyboard having al plurality of keys, of a. separate lever associated with each of said keys and adapted to be operated thereby, a series of units forming an endless chain, each of said units being provided with aseries of members bearing characters corresponding to those of the complete keyboard, means associated with each of said levers for bringing its corresponding member into view, and means for simultaneously moving the endless chain of units to bring another unit into operative relation With the levers.

JOHN WM. FRITCH. DELIA E. HOOPES. lVtnesses LESTER A. S'nNLEY, PERRY B. TURPIN.

opies of this patent may 'be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

